Detection of many Health Hazardous Chemicals Used in Tomato Marketing in Bangladesh
Shoaib Mahmud Shaon
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
Pomeuz Zaman
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
S. M. Neaz Mahmud
Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
Parsha Shanzana
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet -3100, Bangladesh
Rabiul Islam Rajib
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
Tawhidur Rahman
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
Md. Amirul Islam
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
Md. Rana Sardar
Department of Pharmacy, Dhaka International University, Dhaka-1213, Bangladesh
Md. Shariful Islam
Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
Md. Humayun Kabir
Department of Environmental Science and Resource Management, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
Selina Akhter Lira
Department of Environmental Science and Resource Management, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
Shahin Mahmud *
Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Santosh, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
For the developing countries like Bangladesh vegetable like tomato is very important for the supplement of nutrient. But in many markets of Bangladesh, moderate amount of tomatoes are contaminated with the health hazardous chemicals like CaC2, formalin, ethylene, dithane, shampoo and other chemicals. In this comparative study we collected tomato samples from four major divisions (Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Rajshahi) of Bangladesh and tried to measure the amounts of tomatoes that were contaminated. This survey based study revealed that huge amounts (69%) of tomatoes were contaminated with calcium carbide (CaC2) and more than 10% of tomatoes were adulterated with Formalin in Dhaka divisions. Tomatoes of other division’s markets were more or less contaminated with different types of health hazardous chemicals. These chemicals are very toxic and injurious to health. So the use of these chemicals should be strictly prohibited to minimize the risk.
Keywords: CaC2, dithane, ethephon, ethylene, formalin, organoleptic